We Girls: a Home Story

in the "front box at the sunset," and think how there would be June after June here

one? For it was the "dear old place" already to us, though we had only lived there a year, and though Aunt Roderick did say, in her cold fashion, just as if we could choose about

es to you, it is a thing that has always been. You don't get the very sticks and stones to begin with, maybe; but what they stand for grows up in you, and when you come to it you know it is you

we felt that Aunt Roderick was hard; and that Uncle Roderick and Uncle John were hatefully matter-of-fact and of-course about the "business." And that paper might be somewhere, yet. We did not believ

thought, sometimes, that they did not believe it. And very likely they half thought that we were making it appear that they had done so

sant with the shaded summer light, and was full of the gracious summer freshness, she would look round a

rty and paying rent to the heirs, ourselves included,-nobody wanted that; they would rather have things settled up. There would always be questions of estimates and repairs; it was not best to have things so in a family. Separate accounts as w

t anything, it would be a relief to have had the last of it. Nothing lasts always; but we like to have the forever-and-e

g-maiden. We did not turn things over to her, and so leave chaos to come again; we only let her help; we let her come in and learn with us th

what she saw us do. We all worked together till the work was done; then Arctura sat down in the afternoons, just as we did, and read books, or made her clothes. She always looked nice and

When breakfast or dinner was ready, she was as fit to turn round and serve as we were to si

o to?" she would exclaim. "

where" Rosamo

us in our family life; there was no great gulf fixed. We felt that we had at least got hold of the

e girl would say. "It is

without knowing how she got there. If you want a house, you must build it up, stone by stone, and stroke by stroke; if you want a servant, you, or somebody for you, must build one, just the same; they do not spring up and grow, ne

't; but I'm sure there's need of them for reorganizing parlor meetings. They are getting to be left altogether to the little school-girl "sets." Women who have grown older, and can see through all that nonsense, and have the position and power to

t and so nice on West Hill, it seemed so hard

ould keep the nettles from other people's fingers,-and her hard work at her music, she was getting thin. We were all insisting that she must take a vacation this summer, both from tea

, and I must have Pen with me nights. I'm nervous about cars, too; I want two of you to kee

thanks had half a doubt in them. She would te

nice it will be for you to see Dakie!" At which Ruth colored up again, and only said

body, and belonged among the general officers; Ruth had an instinct that it would only

e me, out of us all?" she asked. "Doesn't i

?" said Barbara, blunt

body-knew tha

e went, after all. She said we pushed her out of the nest. She went o

ne of her

nd long, low, shady Constitution Island lying so beautiful upon the water on one side, and dark shaggy Cro' Nest looming up on the other. The Parrott guns at the foundry, over on the headland oppos

me of the Misses Warner; the place where Queechy came from, and Dollars and Cents, and the Wide, Wide World. It seems so strange to think that th

iring from the north battery, just around here from the hotel. One day the cadet in charge made a very careful sighting of his piece; made the men train the gun up and down, this way and that, a hair more or a hair less, till they were nearly out of patience; when, lo! just as he had got "a beautifu

ff, over the river, is beautiful. If only

n't know, now, how much of it was fun; for, as Dakie Thayne said, it was agonizingly funny. What must have happened to him

she was really frightened, and there she sat; Dakie went to her, and tried to help her up, and lead her on; but she would not be helped. "What would come of it?" "She didn't know; she supposed that was the end of her; she couldn't do anything." "But, dear Miss Pennington," says Dakie, "are you going to break short off with life, right here, and make a Lady Simon Stylites of yourself?" "For all she knew; she never could get down." I think we must have been there, waiting and coaxing, nearly half an hour, before she began to hitch along; for walk she wouldn't, and she didn't. She had on a black Ernani dres

nington?" said Mrs. General M-

tired and sat down; and it was dusty,-that was all." He bowed an

" he told Pen and me, afterwards, "and th

elp telling him something about the worry. I know I had no business to; and I am afraid I have made a snarl. He says he would like to buy the place! And he wanted to know if Uncle Stephen wouldn't rent it of him if he did! Just think of it,-that boy! I believe he really m

, to-day. I have had another talk with Dakie. I don't believe he will

to my head. He is just the brightest boy, about everything! I begin to feel in a hurry almost, to come back. I don't think Miss Pennington will go to

er, a little browner, and a little merrier and

d little mysterious idea, of course. Boys neve

use for something. Stephen went straight in after her. What happened upon that, the rest of us did not know

all, to the front door. Stephen found her stoopin

the matter? L

d up her h

r face shines

Don't say anything. Our splendid-lit

er-minded,

r when Sphinx hid her kittens under here last summer? Brought 'em round, over th

t about

Ma'amselle g

; fo

early, and make a place and tuck 'em in here, unde

" with wil

ter be a kitten. I'll tell you the rest to-morrow morning." And Ruth was up on her two little feet, and had giv

etting-up-early plan; and if it has cats in it, it

nd Rose. At five o'clock, she went softly across the passage to Stephen's room, in her little wrapper an

tephen, startin

th "sc

ge. She had been very particular to have the kittens put under at a precise place, though there was a ready-made hole farther on. The cat ba

said Ruth. "Now, let'

cried Step

out, of cours

ain't queer! Que

elieve-but I don't dare say a w

ere is. Two l

," Ruth whispered, earnestly. "But

peep. When he took his face back again, "I see something," he said. "It's whi

se," said Ruth.

n to all he gained, until they slipped the wedge along gradually, to where the board was nailed again, to the middle joist or stringer. Then a few more vigorous st

ifts of dust, and speckled somewhat with damp. But it was

"Don't touch it, though! Let it be, right there. Look at that corn

have reached it with their hands. Stephen ran into the parlor,

of you, Steve

the handwriting. They read the words, a

"It isn't for us to meddle with any more. Take

sently, carrying the two kittens in her

m going to do something

d think

efore I said anything. But now,-I'm going to ask Uncle and A

suppose they wil

urse it isn't that." Ruth kept right on from t

against the wall. Her cats always had their milk, and her plants their water, before she had her o

t you and Uncle to come over right after brea

dden, but for th

s. Roderick in surp

n." Ruth smiled, as one who has a pleasant astonishment in store. She

Mrs. Roderick had not been over to our house for at least two months. It had seemed to happen so. Father always went ther

ing the voices, came

peated Ruth. "Right off, now; there

ly when children get them up. And it's no matter about the breakfast, either way. We can

ghing out; "it is kit

oom window, all coming along do

had set the table, and baked the biscuits; we could breathe a littl

, as if he had been put there, over the l

Aunt Roderick up the lo

met them right on that very loose board; and Stephen stood stock still

is it?" said Mrs.

solemnly together, began to be struck

are, and I wanted-Stephen and I have found something, mother!" She

out the loose board. "Under t

with the drifts of dust upon it, ju

he September Gale, father," he said. "The

at put it into our heads. I never thought of the cracks and-" with a little, low, exc

t that bright boy at West P

ted it up. He shook off the dust and opened it. He glanced along the lines, and at the signature. Not a sin

ft," said he; and then

adness. "I knew they would. That was

Stephen. "You never tol

said Mrs. Roderick Holabird, after a pause;

reakfast; they said they

a supervising, regulating kind of a woman, and very strict about-well, other people

that we were all good people,

s Trixie, intolerantly. "